It was a strange and far from ideal day for NSW cricketers on Friday as they prepared for next week’s crucial top-of-the-table Sheffield Shield clash with South Australia in Adelaide.

As their beloved SCG was being torn up to get ready for Major League Baseball, rain forced the Blues indoors to train with the pink balls that will be trialed in Shield matches around the country.

NSW are currently third on the ladder, but with two games left against the two sides above them, the Blues have destiny in their own hands if they are to book a spot in the final.

However, experienced NSW spinner Steve O’Keefe admits the pressure-cooker match starting on Monday at Adelaide Oval is hardly the ideal time to be experimenting with pink balls.

The Blues are not alone in their skepticism, but O’Keefe says it’s important his team knuckle down to business against the Redbacks.

“When you’re playing for this you want to have as many contrallables that are going your way,” O’Keefe said.

“We know the wicket and we know the way they play and this just throws a big question mark up in the air.

“To be honest I’d just love to be playing red ball cricket but I understand why it’s being done and in a way it’s exciting.

“It’s still got six stitches and it’s still a ball so we’re just going to take that challenge on and try and embrace it the best way we possibly can.”

O’Keefe said the Blues expect the pink ball to swing early and from a spin point of view he believes it will react like a regulation ball.

The great unknown is what will happen under lights.

With stumps scheduled for 9pm local time, the lights will become a tactic.

“If you bat first are you trying to get to the 80 over mark and then you might take the second new ball under lights and how that reacts,” O’Keefe said.

“You’re going to have to play it as you see it and first day will be critical to see how it does react.”

Left-armer O’Keefe requires post-season surgery on his right shoulder but believes he can soldier through the final matches.